


(you put) every star to shame

by rainingooblah



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Closeted Character, Coming Out, Established Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Established Hunk/Shay (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Insecurity, Klance Big Bang 2018, Love Letters, M/M, Panic Attacks, Songfic, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-23 23:31:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16169021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainingooblah/pseuds/rainingooblah
Summary: Keith tunes out his friends as he plays with his food. He's received a letter each month. Each giving basic compliments and all ending with the author stating that they're falling deeper and deeper with the same, simple words. Keith appreciates the letters, but he still can't help but feel like something is wrong with them.Maybe it really is a prank? The author joking with their buddies as they watch as Keith slowly goes insane, but who would do it? Keith doesn't necessarily have any enemies. Sure, he has lost his temper a few times, but nothing too drastic that would get someone to try prank Keith with something like love. Keith doesn't even have any exes, so the whole ordeal doesn't make any sense.Something isn't right with the letters, Keith knows that and he knows that the answer is on the tip of his tongue -- it’s an itch in his brain that is so close to being satisfied. What is it?





	(you put) every star to shame

**Author's Note:**

> Finally, I posted my fic for the Klance BB 2018! So sorry for the late post, life decided to fuck me over just a tiny bit aha. Anyhoo, the art for this fic is created by @hishali! Most of the story is beta-read except the ending, and I do not speak any Spanish at all, so if I got something wrong, please tell me and I will fix it!
> 
> Enjoy!

_Keith,_

_I hope you don't find this weird, but I think I'm falling in love with you._

 

“Hey, Keith — whoa,” Hunk stops himself, his brows knitting together at the sight of his friend. “Are you okay? It looks like you haven't slept all weekend.”

“I haven't,” Keith states, dropping himself onto one of the four chairs circling the table.

“That's normal, though,” Pidge comments, not looking up from her book.

“Well, yeah, but look at him!” Hunk exclaims, shaking Pidge and pointing at Keith who is now staring blankly at the wall across the cafeteria.

Pidge’s eyes widen as she takes in Keith’s disastrous look. “Oh, holy shit — you look fucking dead!”

Her exasperation is enough for Keith to drag his eyes over to her then Hunk and back at the blank wall with a deep sigh. He is so tired, but he cannot stop thinking about that letter.

“Did you sleep at all?” Pidge asks, closing her book as well as straightening her posture. “I know you have trouble sleeping, and we joke about it, but you usually get at least a couple hours.”

“I honestly cannot even remember the last time I slept,” Keith moves his backpack to his chest and starts to rummage through it, already knowing his friends will question the reason.

“Why, dude?”

Keith takes out a page of printer paper that has been folded up into four and slides it across the table to them. He gives them a second to read over the short letter before answering Hunk’s question, “I can't stop thinking about who wrote this — or typed. Whatever, same thing.” Keith yawns, and he massages his tense face. “Who the fuck would fall in love with me?”

“Keith,” Hunk starts to protest, but Keith holds up his hand, silently telling him that he did not want to hear it.

“Maybe it's a joke?” Pidge offers, analyzing the note once more.

“That’s worse, I think?”

“No,” Hunk takes the paper from Pidge to get a better look at the words. “If it was a joke, wouldn't they have made it public? The point of jokes is to embarrass and poke fun, right?”

“I can find out who wrote it if you want,” Pidge tells Keith.

Keith shakes his head, “No if they're serious, I want them to come and tell me. They did say ‘ _think_ ', so maybe they'll realize they actually don't, and then they'll tell me that.” A deafening silence grows among the trio despite the amount of noise from other kids surrounding them. Keith lets out a heavy sigh, and shares a glance with Pidge and Hunk before admitting, “Okay, I am curious who it is, but if they’re serious —”

“You don't want to force them into making a decision if you try looking for them?”

“Something like that.” Keith is given the paper back. He folds it back up and drops it into his backpack.

“Well, whoever it is,” Pidge starts her deductions, “they know you personally already; you're already somewhat friends.”

Keith knits his eyebrows. “Why do you say that?”

“They typed up the confession.” He gives her a questioning look, so she rolls her eyes in return. “It means that you know their handwriting.”

“Who remembers shit like that?” Keith doesn't care about what someone's handwriting looks like. He barely even recognizes his own most of the time.

“It's a precaution they’re taking anyways,” Hunk adds in, understanding Pidge.

Now it was Keith’s turn to roll his eyes. The topic is dropped, and he looks at his phone for the time. It's almost time for the bell to ring, but something is missing…

Keith looks to the empty chair at the table. “Where's Lance?”

“His nephew has the flu. His parents or siblings can't afford to miss work or hire a babysitter, so Lance has been taking care of him all weekend. He's getting better though, so Lance should be back tomorrow or Wednesday,” Hunk explains. The school bell rings, signalling that it was time to get to class. Keith bids Hunk and Pidge goodbye as he heads to his first period… alone.

 _You're just tired and spooked,_ Keith tells himself when taking his seat in the abnormally quiet classroom. He looks at the empty seat next to him. _I hope his nephew gets better soon._ Keith faces toward the front of the class as the late bell rings.

To say the least, today has been weird for Keith. Adding to the lack of sleep due to overthinking, it is weird that Lance is not here at school. As far as Keith knows, Lance has never missed a day of school in his life. He's known Lance since 7th grade, and the two have always had the first period together coincidentally, so Keith’s mornings are always loud and filled with the obnoxiousness that is known as a tall Cuban boy named Lance McClain.

And he's not here. He’s not here screaming in Keith’s ear about some comic book or show he's interested in. He's not here making jabs about the letter Keith has gotten; not here to say, “I agree with Keith for once! Who the hell would ever fall in love with someone who thinks it's acceptable to have a mullet and be emo in twenty seventeen?!”

Lance isn't here to doodle all over his paper while a lecture is being given and then bug Keith to give him the notes. Lance isn't here to share his stupid music playlist with him or talk about what crazy antics his siblings and niece and nephew were up to the night before.

_Geez, it’s not like Lance moved or died or something. He’s making sure his nephew is getting better. Cut it out Keith; It’s not like you even hang out every day 24/7..._

Keith just wants to sleep it off. He knows Shiro is going to find out sooner or later that he hasn't slept very much again lately, and then Keith would feel guilty and then give Shiro a show-and-tell featuring the love confession via typed-up letter and _ugh!_

Basically, things are not going well for Keith today.

 

**_spacemurai > spaceshooter_ **

**spacemurai** : Your nephew ok?

 **spaceshooter** : Guessing Hunk told ya

 **spaceshooter** : He's feeling better!! He was throwing up everywhere fri & sat the whole fam was having a heart attack at first but it's just the common flu

 **spaceshooter** : He hasn't thrown up since yesterday afternoon & now he just has a fever but it’s breaking

 **spacemurai** : That's good

 **spaceshooter** : Did I miss anything important in first period??

 **spacemurai** : Not really we had like two slides of notes and then did some classwork that took like five minutes

 **spacemurai** : And before you ask

 **spaceshooter** : I can copy ur notes right??

 **spacemurai** : Yes you can copy my notes

 **spaceshooter** : Sweet!!! Thx keithers

 **spacemurai** : How do you type so fast

 **spaceshooter** : Magic

 **spaceshooter** : Talent

 **spacemurai** : Uh huh ok

 **spaceshooter** : Ur just jelly I type faster than u

 **spaceshooter** : So

 **spaceshooter** : Why did u text me?

 **spacemurai** : To ask if your nephew was ok?

 **spaceshooter** : U never ask me about my family

 **sharpshooter** : AWWW KEITH DO U MISS MEEEE

 **spacemurai** : Hell no

 **spaceshooter** : I'll act like I believe u :3c

 **spacemurai** : Shouldn't you be taking care of your nephew?

 **spaceshooter** : >:0 ur the one who msgd me!!!!! Ur distracting

 **spacemurai** : What does that mean?

 **spaceshooter** : Texting is my weakness

 **spacemurai** : Tell your nephew that I hope he gets better soon

 **spaceshooter** : Don't wrry keef I'll be there tmrrwwww

* * *

_Keith,_

_You're so caring even though you keep up this broody demeanour, and it pains me to see you hide that side of you. I'm lucky to have ever met and laid eyes upon a person like you and to have had the privilege of seeing a crack within your walls._

_You're beautiful in every way, Keith._

_I think I'm falling in love with you._

 

As promised, Lance is at school the next day with the same cheerful expression he always holds for what seems like an eternity. It kind of annoys him, Keith admits. He knows that most of the time Lance _is_ happy, but even when he's not, he forces himself to _act_ happy. Lance has only really broken down and opened up to Keith one and a half times.

The one happened last year, and it came out of absolute nowhere. Lance showed up at Keith's house around 10 at night during a Summer weekend. Lance’s family had taken a trip back to Cuba, but they didn't have enough money for everyone to go, so Lance volunteered to house-sit.

And Lance couldn't stand the silence.

Neither of them knows why Lance went to Keith, but it made their friendship stronger. Lance had let out all of his insecurities and his deepest fears as soon as Keith opened the door. In the end, Lance stayed over for three days.

The half happened in 8th grade. Lance doubted his academic skills and was on the verge of failing his History class, which meant that he would be held back. Lance dropped most of it on Hunk before Keith wandered into the scene. Needless to say, Lance did pass and didn't get held back.

Despite not being as close to Lance or knowing him as long as Hunk has, Keith had picked up on when Lance was faking a smile; he recognized the difference of the curves his lips made when he was happy and when he was sad.

Keith makes a mental note to ask later as he takes over the same chair he used yesterday morning. He flicks the four-squared note at Hunk and Pidge.

Hunk opens it tenderly as Pidge leans in to read with him.

“See, it must be someone you know!” Pidge shakes the table in excitement.

“What's going on?” Lance asks.

“Someone’s in love with Keith,” Hunk sing-songs teasingly while Pidge chuckles maliciously.

“They _think_ they're falling in love with me,” Keith corrects before leaning over to snatch the paper back, but Pidge beats him to it — she takes the page out of Hunk’s hands and begins a dramatic reading.

“Keith,” she starts with the most ridiculous voice that sounds like an old man about to tell his grandson something wise. Lance can't help but snort at her impression, and he covers his mouth to try and suppress any more noise. Keith sends him a glare. “You're so caring even though you keep up this broody demeanour, and it pains me to see you hide that side of you.”

Lance laughs.

“What's so funny?!” Keith asks defensively.

“I can't help it, dude!”

“I'm lucky to have ever met and laid eyes upon a person like you and to have had the privilege of seeing a crack within your walls. You're beautiful in every way, Keith. I think I'm falling in love with you,” Pidge closes. Lance and Hunk clap, praising her performance.

“I don't even know where to begin,” Lance chuckles. “Falling in love with Keith? They must be blind.”

“Lance!” Hunk scolds.

“I mean,” Lance relaxes back into his chair, hands behind his head. “Keith keeps to himself, and he looks super unapproachable! He has a mullet—”

“Oh my God, Lance for the thousandth time it's not a mullet!” Keith intervenes, but Lance ignores him.

“He's stuck in two thousand and seven! He listens to Depeche Mode unironically! He even has those weird emo pictures you would see all the time on MySpace with some quote as his phone’s home _and_ lock-screen!”

“It’s meaningful!”

“Only you would find those deep and meaningful nowadays.”

“At least I don't listen to Taylor Swift religiously,” Keith says back at him.

“Okay he's got a point there, Lance,” Pidge agrees.

“That's only because you're a T. Swift hater, Pidge!”

“Okay, alright!” Hunk puts up both of his hands, silencing the bickering. He folds the note and hands it to Keith. “Enough, okay Lance? This is serious for Keith. He got the first note on Friday and basically didn’t sleep the entire weekend; It really shook him up.”

Lance’s face shows guilt.

“Did you get any rest last night?” Pidge inquires to Keith.

He nods. “Yeah, I passed out as soon as I got home.”

Lance slams his hands on the table. “Why the fuck didn't you sleep?!”

“I couldn't stop thinking!”

“Mullet,” Lance is speechless as he leans back again. “You're an idiot.”

“So, why do you think they sent another one so close to the first?” Hunk wonders.

“Do you think they're female or male? Or maybe they're non-binary,” Pidge says.

“How many more will they send?”

“Keith, you know I can help you out.”

...Hunk and Pidge are oddly invested in this. Keith groans in annoyance. He wants to scream, to tell everyone to shut up because it's too loud and—

“I don't want to think about it anymore!” Keith spits out, standing up abruptly. “I spent three whole days without it leaving my mind, okay?! Jesus Christ, why did I even show you guys these stupid letters?!”

“You think they're stupid?” Lance is still, waiting for Keith's answer.

“I— ” Keith takes a moment to breathe. “Whatever. Nevermind.”

The bell rings and Keith leaves in a rush. Lance hurries out of his seat to catch up with him — they do sit next to each other for the first period after all.

“Keith,” he says as they take their usual seats, “be honest. I promise I'm not gonna make fun of you this time, okay? You know I'm a romantic anyways.” He winks.

“Why do you care?” Keith snarls.

“I just said I’m a romantic. I'm like the romance master!” Lance boasts. “I can totally help you figure out any romantic feelings; I have a sixth sense for romance!”

Keith eyes Lance before deciding, “I'll text you about it later. I don't want anyone else outside our friends knowing anything about this, and I also really don't want to talk about it anymore for now.”

Lance nods in understanding, flashing Keith a reassuring smile.

He can't tell if this one is real.

 

**_spacemurai > spaceshooter_ **

**spacemurai** : I think they're nice? I've never really struggled with self-hatred but I kind of always assumed I was unlovable because of my past and the fact that I'm not really social. The notes make me feel a bit happy, but it scares me to pieces. I don't want to break their heart which I will because

 **spacemurai** : Well, firstly because I am gay as fuck

 **spacemurai** : Two,

 **spacemurai** : Nevermind there is no second reason

 **spaceshooter** : Okay so what if they /are/ a guy?

 **spacemurai** : I don't know! And that’s also why I'm freaking out! I don't want to break someone's heart if it turns out I don't like them.

 **spaceshooter** : U can't control ur feelings Keith. If u don't feel the same way it's okay. It's only high school & they will move on. This is senior year, they'll go off to college & never see u again.

 **spacemurai** : And then what if I do love them

 **spaceshooter** : Then congrats man! Go for it. Date them. Kiss & cuddle marry all that gay stuff.

 **spacemurai** : Lance I haven't been in love before let alone have a crush on someone

 **spaceshooter** : U just know

 **spacemurai** : What?

 **spaceshooter** : There isn't a guide on how to fall in love Keith. There might be explanations like “fireworks”, “it felt like we were the only two on earth”, “butterflies in my stomach”, but it really depends on /u/. Sometimes you don't even realize ur falling in love until one day ur just thinking that their laugh is cute, hearing their voice gives u comfort, or ur just together in serene silence & u look at them & they just look so content & then u realize, “holy shit I love this person & want to spend the rest of my life with them”.

 **spacemurai** : Lance…

 **spaceshooter** : Yeah??

 **spacemurai** : Are you speaking from experience

 **spaceshooter** : I might be

* * *

_Keith,_

_I don't know if I'll ever tell you in person how beautiful you look when you're spaced out — lost in thought. It's like a cool breeze on a warm summer day. Sometimes you let your face slip into a small smile, and it's a comfort that makes me feel at home._

_I think I'm falling in love with you._

 

“It's kind of creepy,” Pidge points out. “They're basically telling you that they're watching you every chance they get.”

“Nah,” Hunk shakes his head. “It's admiration.”

“I watched a K-Drama where the main guy went on about how unwanted wandering eyes is another form of being stalked,” Pidge says.

Lance pounds the palm of his hand rapidly in excitement on the table. He stops and points at Pidge, a knowing grin plastered on his face. “Suspicious Partner!”

“Yeah!”

“They do end up together, remember? Ji Wook was just — oh! Keith, you're so Noh Ji Wook!”

“I call being Officer Bang!” Pidge vocalizes.

“Are we fan-casting ourselves now?” Hunk bemuses.

“Pidge, Officer Bang gives me a more Hunk feel,” Lance argues.

“Oh, true.” She hums. “Okay, Hunk is Bang, Keith is Ji Wook, I'll be Park Young-soon —”

“Or Hong Bok-ja.” Lance suggests.

“And Lance is Eun-hyuk,” Pidge declares.

“Keith's anonymous lover is Bong-hee, Shiro is Byeon Young-hee,” Lance adds.

“I have no idea what the hell you guys are even talking about,” Keith groans.

“That's it, I'm coming over this weekend, and we're binge-watching K-Drama. Starting with Suspicious Partner.”

“No, thanks,” Keith declines.

Lance continues to fight, but eventually, his plans are foiled by his older brother who is leaving for the weekend, and Lance is stuck babysitting his niece and nephew.

 

 **_spacemurai > spaceshooter_ ** **_  
_ ** **spacemurai** : I can see why Pidge casts you as Eun-hyuk

 **spacemurai** : But I see you more as Bong-hee

 **spaceshooter** : OMG KEITH ARE YOU WATCHING SUSPICIOUS PARTNER

 **spacemurai** : I finished it

 **spaceshooter** : TELL ME EVERYTHING

 **spacemurai** : Shiro and Hunk are pretty okay as their casting. Matt I can see as Eun-hyuk. Allura can squeeze herself in as Cha I suppose. Pidge is definitely these ajummas

 **spaceshooter** : & me???? Bong hee??? Why???

 **spacemurai** : You're both hopeless romantics.

* * *

 

_Keith,_

_I bet you’re going to be super cute in whatever Halloween costume you choose._

_I’m falling in love with you._

 

“Thank you, Keith’s secret admirer, for reminding us that we still haven’t chosen what our group costume is going to be this year!” Hunk cries out.

“Minions…” Pidge puts out, evil clear in her thoughts.

“No!” Keith and Lance say in exasperation.

“I’m so sick of those things! Nadia and Sylvio _love_ the Minions, so I see them _everywhere!_ ” Lance grunts.

“I see them all the time, too, Lance. The kids in my family also love the Minions; they aren’t that bad!” Hunk tries to convince. “I think we’d all be fun and cute.”

“I have no kids in my family and, I’m sorry Hunk, but I hate them, too, and I never want to see those ugly yellow dildos for the rest of my life,” Keith growls.

“Then what’s your suggestion?” Pidge questions.

“ _Bad Blood.”_ Lance leans back in his chair with a grin.

“What is that?” Keith cocks an eyebrow.

“Lance— ” Hunk warns.

“Listen! We’d look so cool!” Lance says before he turns to Keith. “ _Bad Blood_ is the outfits all the girls wore in Taylor Swift—”

“Absolutely not,” Keith shuts down.

“But you’d look so hot!” Lance blurts out. Both their faces glow red, and Lance stutters to save himself. “I — I mean, uh, all of us would look so hot! Come on, guys!”

“What about _Handmaid’s Tale_?” Pidge pipes up.

“We went as a cult last year, though.”

“Homestuck isn't a cult!” Pidge defends.

“Homestuck was technically a cult. I mean, shit was everywhere,” Keith mentions.

“It had demon-looking things,” Lance adds.

“They’re _trolls_!”

“Our parents were concerned,” Hunk puts in.

“Oof,” Pidge took a sip of her tea. “Okay, Handmaid’s Tale out then.”

The bell rang. “We’ll continue this discussion via text,” Lance says, gathering his trash. The others nod, doing the same and then continue their way to class.

 

 **_spaceshooter > pb-hacking_ ** , **_hunkaroo_ ** , **_spacemurai_ **

**spaceshooter:** WHAT IF WE WERE THE LOVE LIVE GIRLS

 **pb-hacking:** Muse or Aqours

 **spaceshooter:** muse obviously,, sunshine sucks

 **pb-hacking:** UHHHH NO

 **pb-hacking:** You're 100% wrong

 **spaceshooter:** SUNSHINE HAS TOO MUCH DRAMA

 **pb-hacking:** But you LOVE drama

 **spaceshooter:** yeah but these kids are too precious for drama

 **hunkaroo:** I agree with Lance

 **pb-hacking:** smh

 **spacemurai:** what if we were veggitales

 **pb-hacking:** Holy shit

 **spaceshooter:** el diablo

 **hunkaroo:** C'mon lance the veggitales are cute

 **spacemurai:** No it was joke please I don’t want to be the veggietales

 **pb-hacking:** What if we were all rick sanchez’s from different dimensions.

 **spacemurai:** Technically a cult

 **spaceshooter:** everything is a cult

 **hunkaroo:** What about undertale??

 **pb-hacking:** But undertale is so /old/

 **hunkaroo:** YEAH WELL SO IS HOMESTUCK

 **pb-hacking:** YOU CAN’T FIGHT THE HOMESTUCK, H U N K

 **spacemurai:** okay then what about monsters?

 **pb-hacking:** Only if I can be your m a k er

 **spaceshooter:** ok so pidge if our mad scientist.

 **hunkaroo:** DOES THAT MEAN I CAN BE FRANKENSTEIN'S MONSTER

 **pb-hacking:** HELL YEAH

 **spaceshooter:** monsters r cool n all but keithy boy i got a better idea

 **spacemurai:** Oh yeah?

 **spaceshooter:** oh yeah

 **spaceshooter: /** cryptids/

 **spacemurai:** I CALL MOTHMAN FUCK YOU I'M MOTHMAN

 **pb-hacking:** homg I've never seen keith type so fast

 **pb-hacking:** Anyway I'M NESSIE

 **hunkaroo:** I’M BIGFOOT

 **spaceshooter:** I’M BIGFOOT

 **spaceshooter:**  NOOOOOO

 **spaceshooter:** ROCK PAPER SCISSORS

 **hunkaroo:** Ugghhhhhhhh ok

 **pb-hacking:** 1

 **pb-hacking:** 2

 **pb-hacking:** 3

 **spaceshooter:** SCISSORS

 **hunkaroo:** ROCK

 **spaceshooter:** FUCK

 **hunkaroo:** HAHAHAHAHA

 **spaceshooter:** 2 OUTTA 3

 **hunkaroo:** NAH

 **spaceshooter:** SDJKHGVFJK

 **spaceshooter:** fiiiineeee

 **spaceshooter:** I’ll be uhh like fucking the uhhh

 **spaceshooter:** jersey devil

 **pb-hacking:** Nice nice

 **hunkaroo:** Who’s hosting the party this year?

 **spaceshooter:** Allura!!!

 

**_spacemurai > pb-hacking_ **

**spacemurai:** Does Lance still like Allura?

 **pb-hacking:** Well, he hasn’t talked about her for months despite the fact that he projected his love for almost everyday for the past 3 years, so I don’t know.

 **pb-hacking:** Why are you asking me? Shouldn’t you be asking Lance? Because I sure as hell know he wouldn’t hide liking her.

 **spacemurai:** Because I don’t know what would hurt more. Lance telling me privately that he has feelings for Allura or hearing it from someone else.

 **pb-hacking:** Keith…

 **pb-hacking:** Do you have feelings for Lance?

 **spacemurai:** Honestly, I don’t know. When he wasn’t at school, I felt sort of… Empty? Like, I don’t know. I just knew that I wanted him to be there with me and that I wanted him to bother me like he does everyday. Laughing loudly in my ears, being too close for comfort, but oddly it was comforting. I missed him. We spent a lot of time together during the Summer and I saw a side of him that I had never seen before. Maybe it was just because I was use to him being next to me recently, that it was just odd when he was gone.

 

**_hunkaroo > spacemurai, spaceshooter, pb-hacking_ **

**hunkaroo:** ok ok cool cool

 **hunkaroo:** whose house are we staying at after?

 **spaceshooter:** Keith’s

 **pb-hacking:** Keith’s

 **spacemurai:** WHAT

 **spacemurai:** I didn’t agree to this!

 **pb-hacking:** you just did

 **spacemurai:** HOW

 **spaceshooter:** by replying lol

 

**_pb-hacking > spacemurai_ **

**pb-hacking:** WOW, I was not expecting that. Okay.

 **pb-hacking:** I don’t know much about romantic feelings, but I will tell you this:

 **pb-hacking:** Keith, you and I have known each other since basically diapers. I have spent so much time with you. We were (and sort of still are) practically inseparable and please DO NOT take this the wrong way, but I rarely ever missed you when you weren’t at school. Sure, I felt a bit alone because at that time, you were my only friend and I knew you were okay every time you weren’t there. I didn’t miss you because I knew I would see you right after school or the next day. There are a few times I missed you. Like when me and my family take vacations out of town. I miss you and miss Hunk and I miss Lance and miss Bae Bae.

 **pb-hacking:** But everybody works differently, so I can’t say for sure what your feelings are but Keith the way you look at Lance and the way you smile at him looks like he means everything to you. I have never seen you look that way at anybody before. Not even to Shiro.

 

**_spaceshooter > hunkaroo, pb-hacking, spacemurai_ **

**spaceshooter:**  but no for real it’s because shiro isn't going to be there right

 **spacemurai:** Right. He’s working the graveyard shift that night.

 **spaceshooter:** cool guess who’s drinking then

 **pb-hacking:** WOOOOOOOO

 **spacemurai:** hhhhhhhhh

 **hunkaroo:** AHHHHHHHH

 

**_spacemurai > pb-hacking_ **

**spacemurai:** I get it. I never really miss you when you’re not at school either haha

 **spacemurai:** Thank you, Pidge

 **pb-hacking:** no prob bob

 **spacemurai:** Hey, Pidge?

 **pb-hacking:** whhhhhaatttt

 **spacemurai:** I think I like Lance

 **pb-hacking:** oof

 

The night of Halloween approaches quickly and with the revelation of his crush on Lance, seeing him shirtless shoots an arrow through his heart and make his cheeks flush a bright alizarin crimson. Thankfully, his costume mask covers his face.

“Who's ready to go trick-or-treating?!” Pidge pops out of nowhere, rubbing her hands together like some sort of gremlin baby.  

Pidge’s Loch Ness Monster costume is a metal blue-green colour that fits like a kigurumi. Keith is pretty sure Colleen, Pidge’s mom, made the costume. Even though Pidge is a genius with everything math and technologic, sewing is an entirely foreign concept to her.

Keith, on the other hand, knows how to sew, but that doesn't mean he is good at it. Most of his costume was bought online to where he modified it to look acceptable enough as Mothman.

Hunk definitely has the easiest (and best) costume out of the bunch. Bigfoot is known by _everyone_ so finding a good costume online was quite easy.

Then there is Lance’s Jersey Devil costume. He has one of those fairy wings you get for kids, but he has spray-painted it a blackish-brown, a black horse mask with black horns attached to the head of it, and a black devil tail attached to his shorts.

Their costumes aren’t absolutely spectacular, but what else do you expect from a bunch of broke high school kids?

“Ready spaghetti!” Lance replies to Pidge, throwing a pillowcase over his shoulder.

And with that, they head out to go trick-or-treating for who knows how long. Usually, they raid the gated community and then hit every house back to whoever's house they are staying at that night which happens to be Keith’s this year, but he lives on the other side of town. So they decide they would drive to the gated community, hit every house there, then drive over to Keith's neighbourhood to hit a few blocks of that and then drop off their bags at the house when they are done, and finally head back over to the gated community in time for Allura’s party.

Two hours later, their bags are full and ready to be dropped off at the Brogane household. Lance, Hunk, and Keith decide to leave their masks behind as well. Then they all pile into Lance's car for Allura’s Halloween party.

Every year there's a Halloween party hosted by one of the “Popular's”. Freshman year, James Griffin had hosted the party, much to Keith’s dismay. How dare his favourite holiday get hosted by his least favourite person? During that party, James and Keith had almost gotten into a fight, but Hunk being the good person he is, had them talk out what had happened and eventually, they decided to let go of the past and just focus on their own friends and lives; they essentially agreed to become acquaintances.

Sophomore year was hosted by Lance, not- surprisingly. Every Sophomore McClain has hosted the year's Halloween party like some kind of tradition. It also happened to be Pidge’s first high school Halloween party, and being the gremlin that she was, decided to spike every person who wasn't drinking drinks with vodka. Where the Hell did she get Vodka from, who knows? Pretty much all that was remembered was somebody broke Lance's mamá’s special vase and was banned from their house forever. Good times.

Lotor had hosted last year's Halloween party. It was sort of classy. He had just transferred from Europe, and the only alcohol his parents had was wine. It wasn't too bad of a party after the seniors showed up with better alcohol to drink. Most of the freshman were reluctant to drink, but some did and then some guy fell down the stairs and broke his leg because surprise, they were drunk That some guy being Lance and then all the freshman just kind of ditched the party.

So, Allura hosting the Senior Halloween party was kind of planned out. Allura spent _three years_ to send her parents out for that Halloween week. She got them to take a two-week cruise! “Allura’s an alien,” Hunk claimed, “there's no way a seventeen-year-old can convince their parents to leave the house on Halloween around here! We're too known for the Halloween parties!”

But Allura did it and it was _the best_.

“Our last high school Halloween party, boys!” Hunk claps his hands.

“I can't wait for the college ones,” Lance says as he parks the car. “They're probably going to be crazier!”

“I can't wait to ditch these losers and go sneak into your college parties. Don't the college sophomore McClain’s host that year’s Halloween parties, too?” Pidge asks.

“Yep!” The group exits the truck. “I have no idea why, though — It just sort of happened!”

The house is already full with probably almost every student in their high school despite the party only officially starting about 15 minutes ago. The music and chatter can be heard from outside and Lance feels the adrenaline rush through his body.

“Let's go, WOOO!” Pidge shouts, arms waving in the air and walking ahead of her friends, who follow right after.

When the group enters the house, the first thing they see is the mass amount of red solo cups in hand. “Just like the movies,” Lance says as he admires them.

“You've seen too many movies, Lance.” Keith shakes his head, a tiny grin on his lips.

“Oh hush!” Lance returns the grin. “I need to go find Allura, so I'll catch you guys in a bit!” Then Lance weaves his way into the crowd, high fiving people, yelling greetings over the chatter and music and Keith loses his smile.

“Don't think too much about it,” he hears Pidge say into his ear. He looks at her and agrees. She smiles and offers to get some drinks.

“Where did Hunk go?” Keith asks when Pidge takes him by the wrist and moves towards the kitchen.

“He got whisked away by the cooking club he's in,” she answers as they reach the kitchen and surprisingly, Hunk is there. “Oh, hey we were just talking about you! What are you doing?”

“I'm bartending!” Hunk bellows, taking a sip of whatever is in his red solo cup.

“Oh, nice! Get me a screwdriver!” Pidge requests.

“I'll take rum and coke,” Pidge gives Keith a look. “What?”

“ _Cuba Libre._ ”

Keith scoffs and gives her an eye roll. “Whatever.”

Hunk gives his friends their drinks, “Enjoy!”

“Thanks, Hunk!” Pidge shouts, raising her solo cup in salute before leading Keith to the living room and then she disappears, leaving Keith to himself, watching all of his classmates do stupid middle school games like "7 minutes in heaven", "spin the bottle", and other games like that.

Keith finds himself coming back to the kitchen quite a bit to get another drink. He doesn't realize how fast he's been downing his alcohol until Hunk points out, “This is the sixth time you've come back in 4 minutes, take it slow on this one, okay?”

Keith assumes he’s a tad too drunk to even remember what he says and walks back in the living room, only to (almost) run into Romelle and (surprisingly) James. _What the hell is James doing here? Didn't he move of the state three years ago?_

“I just want to know what it feels like,” he hears James slur loudly.

Romelle hesitates. “Okay,” she says and then sprays Axe into his eyes.

James screams in pain. “OKAY STOP! STOP!”

“OKAY! FUCK!” Romelle looks terrified, but then she starts laughing, dropping the Axe bottle on the floor and grabbing James by the shoulders. “ARE YOU OKAY?”

“NO! FUCK!”

Keith finds himself chuckling along with the crowd of people who also stumble upon the scene until his attention is caught by some other guy screaming and kicking a hole in the wall. “Dude, I think that guy is on acid,” he hears from beside him.

He turns to the center of the room, and notices that they're playing “darts”. In reality, they are throwing a bunch of kitchen knives at the wall where a poorly drawn target is. Allura is really going to have to clean this place up good before her parents come back from their cruise.

“Hey, Keith!” Nadia calls him over. Nadia is one of James’ friends, and she just so happens to spot Keith as they play with knives.

Buzzed Keith makes his way toward her. She is accompanied by Ryan and Ina, along with a bunch of other people that Keith doesn’t know by name. “‘Sup?”

“Show ‘em your crazy-ass knife skills!” She bounces in excitement.

“I guess,” Keith replies as he accepts the challenge. Ryan gathers the three knives off the wall and hands them to Keith.

With a nod of thanks, Keith takes the knives and inspects them. They really are just plain kitchen knives, but clearly, they are getting a tad bent from being thrown at the wall. Especially since the wall is more sturdy than these thin and flimsy metal blades.

Keith is an excellent swordsman. He took fencing for seven years and just applied that to real swords rather than fencing swords. He’s also added knives to his martial arts, but that didn't mean he was good at throwing knives and hitting targets (at least to Keith; he feels like he needs more practice).

So, it is kind of a shock to him when he gets a bullseye on the first try, but Nadia applauds and receives some money. Keith laughs at the fact that people are betting on his skills.

“No way! You can't do that again; that was lucky!”

Keith hits the target twice more.

“Insane!”

 _Not really,_ Keith smirks, _Y’all just drunk._

Then Rolo strolls in, in nothing but blinking Christmas lights and a pumpkin on his head, seemingly already under the influence of drugs or alcohol or both and that's when Keith realizes his cup is empty again.

When he walks into the kitchen this time, he notices the significant change of decor. And by "decor", decor as in a bunch of food that was previously either packaged or frozen, cooked and open being placed on the dining room table.

“Hunk, what are you doing?”

“I need to feed you! Now go eat!” Hunk ushers Keith to the table before announcing to everyone else that “dinner is ready”.

Keith doesn't eat anything and instead grabs a beer from behind “The Bartender’s Counter” and heads outside.

He isn't sure how long it has been since the party started, nor has he seen Lance or Pidge since they arrived. He's assumed that they have definitely gone back to the kitchen for more alcohol, so he's a bit confused on how he hasn't seen them pass by.

 _Speak of the Devil and the Devil shall come._ Pidge struts over to Keith. She isn't drunk, but a bit tipsy. That means she's still on the first drink she got. Does that mean that they haven’t been here long, or just that Pidge is taking her sweet time drinking?

“I think Lance and Allura are planning to kill us,” Pidge slurs, her eyes filled with… too many emotions. _Okay, what the fuck is going on? Has Lance been with Allura this whole time?_ “Yes,” _Oops, he didn't realize he had asked that out loud_ . “Well, you did,” _OOPS._

“Why do you think they're trying to kill us?”

“They asked me how to make a bomb.”

“What?” Keith is… flabbergasted. “Were those their words exactly?”

“Well,” Pidge scratches her cheek. “Not exactly. They just asked me how would you make something go _KABOOM!_ yanno?”

“Right, well,” Keith guides her to the door leading inside, “ Go visit Hunk — he has food.”

“Sweet! Later dude! Go fight Allura for your man!” Pidge finger guns and Keith groans.

_Where is Lance?_

Before Keith can make any more movement, a loud _POP!_ rings through his ears and then he (and the rest of the people in the backyard) are covered in glitter.

The culprits are Allura and Lance, howling and cackling at their prank. That's why they asked about making things explode. Lance has taken off his wings and is covered in glitter himself. _How the hell does he look so good in anything and everything?_

Then Allura takes Lance by the hand and leads him somewhere, both of them still high off their successful prank. At this point, Keith doesn't even care that he's covered in glitter. All he can think about is the knot in stomach and sorrow in his throat.

“That was exhilarating!” Allura exclaims, eyes wide from what they had just done.

“That was so good! Good shit on deciding glitter! The look on their faces when they realize that they won’t ever get that out of their hair!” Lance snorts.

“Lance,” Allura winds down her laughter. “Can we talk?”

Lance also stops laughing. “Sure, about what?”

“About us.” Allura sits down on the bed and offers Lance to sit next to her and he does. “I'm really sorry about rejecting you all those years. I don't like thinking about hurting you or your feelings.”

“It's okay, Allura.”

“But, I know my feelings are,” she says before she inhales deeply, “changing.”

“What?” Lance croaks out, daring to look at Allura. She's blushing, playing with the hem of her Wonder Woman costume.

“I _like_ you, Lance, like-like you,” she admits, growing closer to him at a slow pace.

Lance swallows nervously. “Ah-ha,” He gently pushes her away. “Allura, I appreciate the gesture and your newly-found feelings, but I’ve moved on now.”

“Oh,” Allura still smiles. “Understandable. We'll still be friends, of course, right?”

Lance laughs. “Obviously! We've been friends for years, even after all the times you rejected me!”

Blue and red lights flash through the window. Allura pales in fear. “Oh, quiznak! It's the police!”

“Guess it's time to yeet outta here!” Lance and Allura share a hug. “Thank you, Allura.”

“I hope things work out for your new crush, Lance,” Allura whispers softly.

“Thank you.”

* * *

 

_Keith,_

_Sometimes your eyes shine a lilac colour, and I'm constantly reminded of a lilac flower because of them. Do you know what they mean? Lilac flowers symbolize first love._

_P.S. I knew you were going to look cute. Even if you were Mothman who eventually got covered in glitter._

_P.P.S. I'm falling in love with you._

 

“So they study flowers, maybe?” Lance suggests.

“Florona is in gardening,” Hunk pipes up. “They study flowers and their meanings, so either they're in gardening, or they do it on their own time.”

“Flower study as a hobby seems pretty uncommon around here, so I'm going for the first theory.” Pidge types away furiously on her phone. It makes Keith anxious.

“I can ask Florona—”

“No need, buddy ol’ pal. I got every student in gardening in here. They might have taken gardening a different year, too,” Pidge assures.

“True, and Florona probably doesn't remember everybody in the last four years.”

“Lance,” Pidge purses her lips.

“Hmm?”

“You were in gardening last year?”

“Oh, uh, I got put in there by accident. I was only there for a few weeks before I was switched out. It was kind of cool though,” Lance explains.

Pidge narrows her eyes at Lance as if she doesn’t believe him. “What did you learn those first few weeks?” she inquires.

“Some flowers and meanings? I don't really remember any of them though,” Lance’s voice cracks at the end. He clears his throat and chuckles. “I think my brother may have passed the flu to me. If I'm not here later or tomorrow, I'm dying from sickness,” he jokes.

“Well, don’t pass it to me!” Pidge scoots away from Lance and closer to Hunk on her chair. “Also, it looks like they went to Allura’s party, too; they knew about the glitter bombing.”

“There were like one hundred kids at that party though,” Keith supplies. “Not to mention that we all did indeed drink a bit too much at that party and I, quite frankly, don’t remember much except listening to that mixtape Hunk got in his candy bag.”

“Thank God that we were all passed out before Shiro got home,” Lance snorts.

“You’re right; there were too many people there.” Pidge chews the inside of her cheeks.

“At least they know who Mothman is,” Keith sighs in relief, earning laughter from his friends.

 

**_spacemurai > spaceshooter_ **

**spacemurai** : Did you really get the flu?

 **spaceshooter** : ya it’s pretty mild tho. I'm not throwing up left and right like my brother was haha

 **spacemurai** : How long do you think it will last?

 **spaceshooter** : awww Keitherssss are you worried about me?? (;

 **spacemurai** : Yeah, I am.

 **spaceshooter** : oh

 **spaceshooter** : really?

 **spacemurai** : Of course. You're my friend

 **spaceshooter** : right.

 **spaceshooter** : maybe two days?

 **spacemurai** : Do you need anything?

 **spaceshooter** : what

 **spacemurai** : Like garlic knots? Just like anything food or drink or just anything? Are you craving anything

 **spaceshooter** : lmao Keith I'm just a little sick lol

 **spacemurai** : Shut up Lance just answer the question

 **spaceshooter** : garlic knots would be great. Craving cheese

 **spacemurai** : OMW

* * *

_Keith,_

_I yearn for your touch. That sounds kind of sexual, but I just mean that I feel the need to hug you all the time — to cuddle you in silent bliss._

_Why do you have to be so close, yet so far?_

_I'm falling in love with you._

 

“That's kind of cliché.” Pidge wrinkles her nose.

“Love is cliché, Pidgey,” Lance defends.

Keith tunes out his friends as he plays with his food. He's received a letter each month. Each giving basic compliments and all ending with the author stating that they're falling deeper and deeper with the same, simple words. Keith appreciates the letters, but he still can't help but feel like something is wrong with them.

Maybe it really is a prank? The author joking with their buddies as they watch as Keith slowly goes insane, but who would do it? Keith doesn't necessarily have any enemies besides James, but he moved out of state _years_ ago and Keith has lost his temper a few times since then, but it was nothing too drastic that would get someone to try to prank him with something like love. Keith doesn't even have any exes, so the whole ordeal doesn't really make any sense.

Something isn't right with the letters though and Keith knows that, and he knows that the answer is on the tip of his tongue — it’s an itch in his brain that is so close to being scratched. _What is it?_

Sudden white takes over the corner of his eyes along with crude laughter. It draws Keith’s attention to what is happening at his table. Lance had cachinnated at something either Pidge or Hunk had said, causing the milk he was drinking to shoot out his nose.

“It burns, oh my God,” Lance cries, fanning his nose while still cackling from the previous joke that caused the spill in the first place.

 _Oh,_ Keith thinks. The realization dawns on him. The tip is pushed. The itch has been scratched. _Oh, I'm in love with Lance._

 

**_spacemurai > spaceshooter_ **

**spacemurai** : What are you doing for winter break?

 **spaceshooter** : Fam bam is comin from Cuba

 **spacemurai** : You're not going this time?

 **spaceshooter** : Nah ): we're kind broke right now

 **spacemurai** : That sucks. At least they're coming to you

 **spaceshooter** : Yeah but my family isn't just my cousins & tias & tios & all that jazz

 **spaceshooter** : Varadero is my home & is much like a family for me

 **spacemurai** : Hopefully you'll get to go during the summer or next christmas

 **spaceshooter** : Yeah

 **spaceshooter** : Hey

 **spaceshooter** : What are u doing for Christmas

 **spacemurai** : I don't really know. Pidge is going out of town and Shiro is meeting Adam’s extended family for the first time so it’s not really my place to be there. I'm probably just going to stay home and eat fast food.

 **spaceshooter** : Do u want to spend it with me?

 **spacemurai** : What

 **spaceshooter** : I mean

 **spaceshooter** : No one should spend Christmas alone yknow?

 **spaceshooter** : My family is big but lovable. If u get too uncomfortable, u can go home & u can even spend the night at my house or I'll spend the night at urs

 **spacemurai** : Seriously?

 **spaceshooter** : Yeah

 **spaceshooter** : Keith

 **spaceshooter** :  U know I don't hate you right

 **spacemurai** : You sure about that

 **spaceshooter** : Maybe a little (;

 **spaceshooter** : hahaha but no I'm serious

 **spaceshooter** : wE HAVE MATCHING USERNAMES FOR FUCKS SAKE

 **spacemurai** : That just happened to be a coincidence though. That's how we /met/ you thought I was trying to one up you on a pun thing

 **spaceshooter** : U totally were

 **spacemurai** : You're insufferable,

 **spacemurai** : Yeah I'll come over

 **spacemurai** : I'll stay over too I guess

 **spaceshooter** : These are going to be the best 2 days of ur life keefy

 

Needless to say, Keith is high-strung on meeting Lance’s family. It’s not like he hasn’t met them before because he has… _sort of_ … The first and only time he met Lance’s family was at Shiro’s college graduation where it just so happened that Lance’s sister, Veronica, attended the same college, as well as had the same major as Shiro, and was graduating in the same class as Shiro. Keith met his immediate family, not his _extended_ family.

Keith runs his hands over his face. _Why did he agree to this? He would’ve been fine just being on his own! Curse Lance and his stupid feelings for Lance!_

Shiro knocks on Keith’s already open bedroom door, letting him know that he is there. Keith turns to him, “Hm?”

“Are you _absolutely sure_ you don’t want to come with Adam and I?” Shiro asks, taking a step into the room.

“Yeah. Shiro, you’re meeting _his_ family. That’s a thing for you two to do, it’s not really my place to _be_ there.” Keith explains as he checks his bag to make sure he has got everything. Lance should be here any minute since he _insisted_ on picking him up.

“Yeah, but you’re family Keith. Plus, you’ve met Adam’s parents before. They wouldn’t have minded if you were there. In fact, I think they’re expecting you to be there,” Shiro says.

“Shiro, I didn’t even _meet_ them. You guys were in the kitchen when I went to go get some food and you introduced us, we waved at each other, I grabbed my food, and left!”

“Still...” Shiro trails off, not knowing what to say before remembering where Keith is going. “Wait, Keith,  you’re meeting Lance’s extended family even though you barely met his parents, too! What’s the difference?” Shiro smirks.

“There isn’t a difference. Lance offered because I had nothing else to do.”

“I offered you to come with me and Adam because you quote-on-quote had nothing else to do.” Shiro uses his fingers to resemble quotation marks, the smirk still smack-dab on his face. “In fact, you told me you _wanted_ to spend Christmas by yourself this year no matter how hard I tried to convince you to come with us.” Keith flushes in embarrassment.

“I just.. changed my mind, okay?!” Keith defends himself, looking away from his teasing brother. Suddenly, Keith’s phone starts blowing up and honking fills the outside. “Lance is here.” Keith throws on his duffle-bag. “See ya later, Shiro!”

Keith tries rushing past Shiro, but to no avail.

“Keith—”

“Goodbye, Shiro.” Keith smiles at him and ducks under his arm and hurries out. He does not want to talk about his feelings right now, nope, no way! Especially with his face already cherry red and when he’s just about to meet Lance.

“Well, hello, princess! Why are you so red?” Lance questions. “Are you sick?!”

“No! No, not sick. I was just kind of rushing around a lot before you got here; just a little hot. Also, the cold outside. You know I get red, easily, why are you asking?” Keith word-vomits, which makes Lance chuckle.

“All right, dude! Sorry for making sure you were okay.” Lance puts the truck in drive. “So, like I said: if you get too overwhelmed or something, you can hide out in my room or if it’s way too bad to like where you have to leave, come get me, okay? Then we can figure out what you need

like if you want to go home or just outside for air. My family can be a bit too much, which you kind of already know.”

“Okay,” Keith breathes out. “What if they don’t like me?”

“Trust me, they’re gonna _love_ you!” Lance blushes at the words that just came out of his mouth. “My mamá loves all my friends.”

“Oh, so we’re friends? I thought we were rivals,” Keith jokes, fully aware that their rivalry was far behind them.

Lance cracks a smile. “You’ll always be my rival, Spacemurai, but you’re my friend, too.”

“Didn’t know you could be friends with your rival.” Keith laughs.

“Uh, it’s called ‘ _frenemies’_.”

Keith shakes his head in response, laughing quietly.

The rest of Lance's family would be arriving later throughout the day, so Keith feels a little bit more relaxed that they all aren’t there already and he would be meeting them slowly. It is then when Keith notes that he has been overreacting this entire time. All of Lance's family is quite polite, though very loud.

“So, what do you think?” Lance asks at the end of the day when everyone has retired to their beds.

“Loud, but really nice,” Keith looks around Lance's room. He's been in here before, but now it's weird since he kind of, sort of totally has a crush on him. “Wait, so where am I sleeping?”

“Right here,” Lance pats on his bed. “I can sleep on the floor though if you're not comfortable sleeping in the same bed as me.”

“Oh, no! It's okay! Please don't sleep on the floor.”

“Okay, so do you want the open side or the wall side?”

“What side do you usually sleep on?”

“The middle.”

“That doesn't help.”

“Well when Hunk sleeps over, I usually take the open side.”

“Then, I’ll take the wall side.”

Funny how they're both sleep cuddlers.

“Keith.” Lance shakes Keith's sleeping body. He groans, clearly still wanting to sleep. “Keith, get up! Don't make me get _la cháncla_ ,”

“What the fuck is a 'la cháncla'?”

“This.”

“ _OW!_ Lance, what the fuck?”

“ _La cháncla.”_ Lance smiles wickedly. “Now get up, it's Christmas!”

Much to Keith's dismay, he gets up and Lance leaves the room for Keith to get dressed and then meets him in the hall to go down for breakfast. Keith never knew you could fit so many people at such a small table.

 

**_pb-hacking > spacemurai, hunkaroo, spaceshooter_ **

**pb-hacking** : Merry Christmas losers

 ** _pb-hacking_** **_sent a photo._**

 **spaceshooter:** What the hell am I looking at

 **pb-hacking:** Holt prank tradish

 **pb-hacking:** We pranked Matt into thinking he was invisible and he fucking lost it

 **pb-hacking:** It was hilarious

**_spaceshooter sent a photo._ **

**spacemurai:** Lance

 **pb-hacking:** Ok now what am /I/ looking at

 **spaceshooter:** Keith's mad at me cos I gave him la chancla

 **hunkaroo:** Uh-oh

 **hunkaroo:** That's why you always get up on time at the McClain household

 **spacemurai:** OOF

 **spaceshooter:** oof

 **hunkaroo:** oof

 **pb-hacking:** oof

 

Opening presents is kind of fun to watch. Keith didn't get a present from everyone since they just met him (and they didn't know he was coming), but he does get a nice knitted sweater from Lance's mom which prompts Lance to say, “We’re like the Weasley’s, but Cuban.”

Lance also tells Keith, “I have a present for you, but I'll give it to you later.”

“I guess I'll give you mine then, too,”

“You have a treehouse?” Keith's asks in awe.

“Yep! Did you really think that with how many kids are in our family we wouldn't have a treehouse? Us damn kids for generations asked for one every day.”

“I use to have a treehouse until…”

“Until what?” Lance helps Keith into the treehouse. It is cozy; it looks and feels like a room made for a child, but Keith doesn’t mind. It kind of reminds him of…

“Until the fire. The one that killed my parents; it burned our entire property down and it spread pretty fast. That was why I moved here.”

“Wait, Shiro isn't your real brother?”

“He's my cousin, but he's like my brother so we just call each other that,”

“Oh, Keith, I'm sorry,”

“It's okay, Lance. That was like a decade ago. Am I over it? Yeah. Does it still make me sad? Yeah.” Keith pulls something out of his pocket and hands it to Lance. “Here. It's your Christmas present.”

Lance takes it gingerly and then starts to laugh. Keith had woven him a red bracelet.

“Why are you laughing?” Keith asks, offended.

“How did you get the idea to make me a bracelet?”

“Uh, I asked your sisters and they both said ‘You should make him a bracelet! He'll love it’, so, yeah.”

“Assholes,” Lance mutters as he takes out a bracelet similar looking to Keith's, but blue. “ _I_ was making a bracelet for _you!_ ”

“Better not tell Hunk,” Keith jokes.

* * *

 

_Keith,_

_Merry LATE Christmas & Happy New Year! I hope u had as much of as a good time as I did. Anyway, I made u something & I hope u don't find it too weird. I worked like super hard on it like SUPER hard. I had to restart so many times haha. _

_I'm falling in love with you._

 

“It's actually kind of cute,” Hunk squishes the plushie in his hands.

“Kind of looks like a boar,” Pidge takes the plushie out of Hunk’s hands, giving it a squeeze as well.

It was Lance’s turn to give it a squeeze. “I think it looks like a hippo.”

“I do like Hippos.” The plushie returns to Keith. “I don't really remember talking about it to anyone though.”

“Freshman year,” Lance remembers. “Our Art teacher wanted us to paint our favourite animal and present it to the class with some animal facts.”

“You remember that?”

Lance blushes lightly, and Keith can't help but break into a smile. “Of course, I was the best in the class! How could I not remember?”

“Also, Keith,” Pidge shows Keith the letter he received and started pointing at the lack of extra letters. “They're just typing ‘u' instead of ‘y', ‘o', ‘u'. They're getting more comfortable with the possibility of you finding out who they are!”

“Tons of people type like that though!” Keith folds the paper.

“They also used the ‘and’ symbol.”

“People use that a lot, too, Pidge. I don't think we’re really getting anywhere,” Hunk sighs.

“I have my suspicions,” Pidge smirks.

Lance shows interest. “Like who?”

“Well,” Pidge teases. Lance shakes Pidge, pleading for her to tell. “Stop shaking me!” Pidge laughs as she pushes Lance away. “There's this girl in Keith and I’s Chemistry class. Her name is Olia. She's also in gardening.”

 

“Olia was in our Art class Freshman year, too,” Lance adds, “but I don't think it's her.”

“Do you have any ideas?” Keith prods.

“Not really,” Lance says, shaking his head. “I just don't think it's her.”

 

**_spacemurai > spaceshooter_ **

**spacemurai** : I feel kind of guilty

 **spaceshooter** : What do u mean?

 **spacemurai** : This person is falling in love with me and giving me presents and being so kind and sweet

 **spacemurai** : Normally in movies shouldn't I fall in love with them too?

 **spacemurai** : But I don't and I'm not and I feel like I'm taking advantage of whoever this is

 **spaceshooter** : I think they're sending these /because/ they love u. They must know that there’s a possibility that u aren't going to be totally wooed. It probably breaks their heart, but as long as ur happy, u know?

 **spacemurai** : I kind of want to talk back to them. I want to get to know them.

 **spaceshooter** : Why don't u?

 **spacemurai** : Well they just drop the notes randomly each month. They don’t really have a schedule it just comes out of nowhere

 **spaceshooter** : Hmm

 **spacemurai** : ???

 **spacemurai** : Lance???

 **spacemurai** : Out of all times you stop messaging. You’re ridiculous

 **spaceshooter** : Srry got caught up w/ the fam

 **spaceshooter** : Valentine's day

 **spacemurai** : It's on Wednesday right? Do you think they'll drop something then?

 **spaceshooter** : Most likely

* * *

  _Anonymous,_

_I just want to tell you that I'm really gay and I apologize if you're a girl because I don't want to hurt your feelings._

_I still would like to talk to you though._

 

Lance re-reads the note Keith had taped on his locker. Lance doesn't really know what to do with this. On one hand, Lance would love to talk to Keith, but on the other, he's absolutely terrified he's going to be found out.

"Lance?”

“Oh, dios mierda!” Lance slams himself against Keith's locker, swiping the note and stuffing his own in it before turning around to see who it was.

“What are you doing?” _Oh fuck, there's two of them._

“Hunk! Pidge!” Lance exclaims, scratching the back of his neck out of nervous habit. “What, uh, what are you guys doing here and not in class?”

“Catching Keith’s admirer,” Pidge smirks deviously.

“Oh.” Lance laughs, avoiding eye contact. “Me, too! Wow, what, uh, a coincidence!”

“Lance—”

“Maybe they'll be here soon. We should—”

“Lance!” Pidge cuts in, causing Lance to flinch. The hall is quiet as Lance buries his face in his hands and slides his back down against the locker until he’s seated on the floor.

“Please don't tell Keith,” he mumbles into his hands.

“Lance,” Hunk frowns. “It’s been you the entire time?”

He looks up at his friends, distraught. “Yeah, it has.”

“Why are you hiding it? You usually just flirt without a care.”

“Oh, I don't know,” Lance responds sarcastically. “Maybe because this time I'm actually in love for the first time. Oh, and with Keith _fucking_ Kogane.”

“Lance, buddy,” Hunk goes over and sits next to Lance, placing a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. “Why didn't you tell us?” Lance usually tells Hunk everything, and also Pidge on occasion.

“I'm scared? I know you two would joke and tease me about it, which I’m usually okay with because I have no fear in showing my feelings, but it's different this time, guys. It really is. It's not like with Allura, Nyma, or Plax, or basically everybody else! They were potentials, and they’re women.

“Keith's a guy, and I'm a guy! I've never felt this strongly towards a guy; I thought I was straight my entire life, and then suddenly one day over Summer break I couldn't handle being alone, and I ended up at Keith's house and told him, like, everything. How I was afraid of being alone, how I'm afraid of dying, how I'm afraid to fall in love for real, and I apologized to him for being so mean to him all the time, and then I had a fucking anxiety attack from crying so much and spilling my guts, and you know what he did?

“He calmed me down, made me some ramen and these poorly homemade garlic knots and took me outside and just sat there in the warm summer air at, like, one in the morning and we just watched the stars for I don't even know how long.

“He didn't talk, and he gave me space and just watched the sky, and I just couldn't help but watch him for a while. He handled me so well, and he cared for me, and I just — I fell in love with him.

“I didn't know how to tell him, or anybody. I started thinking that maybe it was a fluke, so I never mentioned me questioning if I was bisexual or not, but I have my answers now. After eight months and being around Keith more often, it's real. I'm bisexual, and I'm in love with Keith.”

“I think you should just confront him in person,” Hunk offers.

“I know.” Lance looks at Pidge. “Did the hippo really look like a pig?”

“A boar,” she corrects. “Kind of.”

“I spent, like, three months trying to make it. That was, like, my seventh try.” Lance chuckles.

“I can't believe you're in love with Keith.” Pidge smiles, dropping herself onto the floor on the other side of Lance with crossed legs.

Lance smiles at the thought of Keith. He leans his head against the locker and zones out. “Me either.”

* * *

 

_Keith,_

_Happy Valentine’s day! The chocolates aren’t poisoned I promise! I made them & they are lactose-free! It was my first time making them so I'm sorry if they're really bad. _

_I'm falling in love with you._  


“That's so cliché,” Pidge teases.

“It's sweet!” Hunk and Lance agree together.

“They weren't that bad actually,” Keith says. He had been extremely reluctant to eat the candies since he doesn't exactly know who's sending it.

“You actually ate them?” Pidge raises an eyebrow. “What if the whole thing really was a joke and it was poisoned? What if their intention was to murder you the whole time and they were just pretending to be sweet?”

“Like James in The End of The Fucking World!” Lance announces. _This kid watches too much television._ Keith shakes his head at Lance.

“Keith is so Alyssa.” Pidge wiggles her eyebrows.

“I have no idea what you're talking about,” Keith sighs.

“You live under a rock, Keith. It’s on Netflix, check it out,” Lance requests, only for Keith to roll his eyes in response. “It's a comic, too, if you want to read it instead. Pidge owns it.”

“Nah, it's all right,” Keith declines.

“Boring,” Lance sings.

 

**_spacemurai > spaceshooter_ **

**spacemurai** : Was I casted as Alyssa because she has anger issues

 **spaceshooter** : kE ITH UUUUUR WATCHIN IT??

 **spacemurai** : I finished it

 **spacemurai** : You're kind of like James

 **spaceshooter** : ?????? What

 **spacemurai** : You hated me for no reason like you wanted to kill me

 **spaceshooter** : U were trying to one up my username!!!!

 **spacemurai** : Lance let me finISH

 **spacemurai** : BUT you're actually super sweet and caring and would do anything for the people you love and care about

 **spaceshooter** : Lance.exe has stopped working

 **spacemurai** : ???

 **spacemurai** : Lance?

 **spacemurai** : God damn you

* * *

 

_Keith,_

_My friends really want me to confront u but I'm not ready lol I hope people aren't too mean to u on st patty's day~ Green isn't ur colour anyways_

_But regardless,_

_I'm falling in love with u_

 

“I mean they're not wrong.” Lance stuffs his face with a slice of pizza.

“They didn't respond to the note I left them.” Lance starts to choke on his pizza bite. Hunk helps him out by patting him on the back as he coughs.

“What?” Lance croaks — he totally forgot about Keith’s note all thanks to Pidge and Hunk who startled the crap out of him.

“It's cool though.” Keith looks at the latest letter once again, twirling the folded paper with his fingers. “I was kind of afraid of a response anyway.”

“Why?”

Keith shrugs, but he definitely knows why he had secretly hoped they disregarded his letter.

 

**_spacemurai > pb-hacking  _ **

**spacemurai** : I'm in love with Lance

 

**_pb-hacking > hunkaroo_ **

**_pb-hacking_ ** _sent a photo._

 **hunkaroo** : Oh man

 

**_spaceshooter > spacemurai_ **

**spaceshooter** : hey sooo Nadia’s (my niece not james’ friend) birthday is coming up

 **spacemurai** : Mhm

 **spaceshooter** : Yeah &&& she wants u to come to her birthday party

 **spacemurai** : Why me??

 **spaceshooter** : she really likes ur hair

 **spacemurai** : At least /someone/ appreciates my hair

 **spacemurai** : Yeah I'll go when is it?

 **spaceshooter** : Next Saturday

 **spaceshooter** : Do u want to come w/ me to get presents tomorrow?

 **spacemurai** : Sure, sounds fun

 **spaceshooter:** Pick you up at 10 (:

 

Keith notices that he finds himself in Lance’s car more often than not. It's not like Keith doesn't have his own car, so why is Lance always picking him up? In fact, why did Lance ask _Keith_ to come shopping for his niece's presents? Keith doesn't have any kids in his family, nor does he have any kid-experience; it would have made a lot more sense if Lance had asked Hunk to come along rather than him.

“Hey man, ready to go?” Lance asks as soon as Keith enters Lance's truck.

Keith looks at him, confused. “Uh, yeah? Obviously?”

“Oh, hush! You know what I meant!” Lance releases a toothy grin.

“Why did you ask me to come?” Keith bluntly asks. “Hunk would have made more sense.”

“Well,” Lance clears his throat. “Hunk already has a present for Nadia and he also had to work today. I also asked Pidge, but she's still _working_ on Nadia’s present. I have no idea what she's making for her, but I get the feeling it'll be some torture device for me,” Lance shivers at the thought.

“So, I was your last choice?”

“No! I asked you all at the same time. I was gonna have all of us go; squad day with a side errand, yanno? You were the only one that was free,” Lance explains.

“Oh,” was all Keith had to say.

They end up at _Toys R Us,_ everything is pretty much on sale since its going out of business. Lance goes on and on about it in the car that his childhood truly is ending. “First Blockbuster and now Toys R Us? Tragic!”

Buying presents for a kid is easier with Lance around. Keith is not used to kids and had absolutely no idea what to get her, but Lance is an expert thank God.

As they purchase the gifts, they find out one of them has a promotional deal. It comes with a free Mystery Naruto keychain for your phone.

“Rock, paper, scissors,” They decide to play for it, but they keep tying the game so much that the cashier just gives them two keychains.

“We're going out of business anyways.” The employee shrugs.

“Look,” Lance holds up the mystery character keychain he got. “I got you!”

“If I’m Sasuke,” He holds up his own keychain. “Then you're Naruto!”

“Friendship keychains! Don't tell Hunk!”

* * *

 

_Keith,_

_I'm planning something special. I'm super fucking nervous about it._

_I'm falling in love with you._

 

“What do you think it is?” Lance’s gaze flickers from the paper to Keith and then to Hunk and Pidge for support because holy shit he's so nervous.

Keith shrugs. “I'm guessing it involves them confronting me?” Lance hums in response and hands the letter back to Keith. He notices that Lance’s hands are trembling. “Lance, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I'm amazing! So good! Awesome!” Lance answers briskly. Lance hides his hands under the cafeteria table, fiddling with his nails and bouncing his leg up and down.

“Lance, buddy,” Hunk speaks softly to him. Lance looks at Hunk with a questioning look. He's biting the skin off his lip now. “Come with me.”

Lance doesn't question it. Instead, he gathers his things quickly and walks off with Hunk.

Keith turns to Pidge as soon as they're gone. “Is Lance okay? What happened?”

“Your boyfriend is and will be fine, trust me.”

“He's not—” Keith groans. “Pidge, please don't joke like that.”

“Sorry.” Pidge chews on her bottom lip. “Lance is okay, though.”

 

**_spacemurai > spaceshooter_ **

**spacemurai:** Hey Lance are you okay? Like really okay

 **spaceshooter:** oh yeah yeah don't worry about it man

 **spacemurai:** Lance

 **spaceshooter:** do u have any plans for spring break so far?

 **spacemurai:** That's like a month away?

 **spaceshooter:** well ya but it’s always good to have plans ahead of time yknow?

 **spacemurai:** I guess? I don't really have any plans why

 **spaceshooter:** you’re not going to be alone all break this time right?

 **spacemurai:** Nah Shiro will be here

 **spaceshooter:** ok cool

 **spaceshooter:** do you maybe wanna do something?

 **spacemurai:** What do you have in mind?

 **spaceshooter:** ah uh hmmm i dunno just hang? Watch some youtube or netflix or something? Have sleepovers with Hunk and pidge if they’re free

 **spacemurai:** I think Pidge is going to visit some family in Italy? Not really sure.

 **spaceshooter:** guess we gotta ask

 

 ** _spaceshooter > pb-hacking_**, **_hunkaroo_** , **_spacemurai_**

 **spaceshooter:** HEY HEY HEY

 **spaceshooter:** What’s everyone doing for spring break

 **pb-hacking:** Debating whether to go on this family trip or not

 **hunkaroo:** I’m actually going to meet Shay for the first time!!

 **spaceshooter:** TAKE HELLA PICTURES

 **pb-hacking:** !!!!!

 **pb-hacking:** I’m so excited for you!

 **spacemurai:** I guess it’s just the two of us then

 **spacemurai:** Unless Pidge stays.

 **hunkaroo:** Oya?

 **pb-hacking:** OYA oya oya?

 **hunkaroo:** Making plans?

 **spaceshooter:** well duh why do u think I asked the group chat

 **hunkaroo:** Ah hmmmmmmm

 **pb-hacking:** I’ve decided I’m taking that trip after all

 

**_spaceshooter > pb-hacking_ **

**spaceshooter** : Pidgey,,,, bless u

 **pb-hacking** : Go get him loverboi

 

**_spacemurai > pb-hacking_ **

**spacemurai:** Hey Pidge i don't ever tell you this often but i love you

 **pb-hacking:** omg

 

**_pb-hacking > hunkaroo_ **

**_pb-hacking sent a photo_ ** _._

 **hunkaroo:** asjkfhk

 

**_spaceshooter > hunkaroo_ **

**spaceshooter** : YOU'RE MEETING SHAY & DIDN'T TELL ME UNTIL NOW?

 **hunkaroo** : I DIDN'T WANT TO JINX IT BUT IT'S OFFICIAL NOW THAT I REALLY AM I LEAVE TOMORROW

 **spaceshooter** : AAAHHHHHHH

 **hunkaroo** : AAAAHHHHH

 **spaceshooter** : DUDE

 **hunkaroo** : I GET TO MEET MY GIRLFRIEND

 **spaceshooter:** I'M SO HAPPY FOR U BRO

 **spaceshooter:** take lots of pictures ok???

 **hunkaroo:** definitely will!!!!!!!!!

 

**_spacemurai > spaceshooter_ **

**spacemurai:** do you want to go to the beach

 **spaceshooter:** wait.. What..

 **spacemurai:** the beach

 **spaceshooter:** i would LOVE TO

 **spaceshooter** : but like why are you asking me that

 **spacemurai** : because you like the beach?

 **spaceshooter** : yEAH BUT LIKE

 **spacemurai** : lance you literally just asked me if i wanted to hang out this spring break

 **spacemurai** : this is what planning ahead looks like

 **spaceshooter** : what  
**spacemurai** : go to the beech beech ninki minjaj

 **_spaceshooter > pb-hacking_ ** _,_ **_hunkaroo_ **

**_spaceshooter sent a photo._ **

**spaceshooter** : please fucking help me

 **pb-hacking** : SAY YES

 **hunkaroo** : SAY YES

 

**_spaceshooter > spacemurai_ **

**spaceshooter:** yes

 **spacemurai:** Okay what day works for you

 **spaceshooter:** uhhh right now any

 **spacemurai:** Ok what about the 24th?

 **spaceshooter:** sounds good

 **spacemurai:** All right then it's a date

 

 **_spaceshooter > pb-hacking_ ** _,_ **_hunkaroo_ ** _._

 **_spaceshooter sent a photo_ ** _._

 **spaceshooter:** uhm what ht efuck what hteufk

 **pb-hacking:** omg

 **hunkaroo:** OYA?

 

**_spacemurai > pb-hacking_ **

**_spacemurai sent a photo._ **

**spacemurai:** I FUCKED UP WHAT DO I DO

 **pb-hacking:** omg…..

 

**_pb-hacking > hunkaroo_ **

**_pb-hacking sent a photo_ ** _._

 **pb-hacking:** OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

 **hunkaroo:** Dear Lord please let this end soooooon just GET THEM TOGETHER ALREADY UGHHHHHH

 **pb-hacking:** UGHHHHHHHHH

* * *

 

_Hi Keith._

_I don't know if you even like flowers but here are some for you! I was wondering if you would like to go on a date? Reb’s at 7 this Saturday?_

_ <3 _

 

Keith can’t help but to only blink at the handwritten letter he has just received. _Was the “big thing” his admirer was planning? Should he share this with his friends? Probably, right? Just in case something goes awry…_

When Keith shows up at the usual table, he tosses the note onto the table before slouching in his seat. “I don’t know what to do?”

Pidge gives a sly look towards Hunk and then inquires, “Where are the flowers?”

“What kind were they?” Hunk asks.

“I, uh, kind of just left them in my locker? I’m not going to carry it around everywhere, y’know.” Keith crosses his arms and leans back in his chair. He swallows. “Should I go?”

“Yes.”

“Definitely.”

Keith narrows his eyes. He looks around the table, “Where’s Lance?” If Keith was being honest, he trusted Lance the most with this decision.

“He’s studying,” Hunk replies, taking a bite of his breakfast burrito and sliding the note back to Keith.

“He’s _what_?” Pidge snorts.

“Well,” Hunk takes a second to swallow his food. “Considering that there are tests coming up, he needs to pass?”

“Yeah, but Lance never st—”

“Pidge, who cares? We’re not all smart and confident as you are in some other subjects. If he wants to study, then just let him study!” Keith cuts in, clearly upset.

Pidge’s face falls in guilt. “I…” She curls up on her seat and stares at her knees, trying to gather her thoughts. “I’m sorry.”

Keith stares at her for a moment before looking away with a huff.

“Hey, Keith, you seem stressed. Do you wanna go for a walk?” Hunk suggests.

At first, Keith thinks of rejecting the suggestion, but then he realizes that if he does take a walk, he could find Lance. So, Keith makes sure he doesn’t make eye contact with his friends as he stands up. Keith grabs the note off the table and shoves it in his pocket, then leaves the cafeteria.

_ Now, where would Lance be? Library, perhaps? _

After Keith leaves, Hunk scoots his chair closer to Pidge’s. He places a gentle hand on her back and rubs, trying to comfort her. “Pidge, you know Keith didn’t mean to lash out on you. I think he’s just stressed out from all the notes and—”

“And him knowing he likes Lance despite it… I know. Maybe I shouldn’t have joked about it when I already felt the tense situation, but habits are hard to break… Especially when it comes to teasing Lance. Sometimes, I feel bad when we tease him. Like, I know he knows we’re joking, but I think it probably still hurts him? I don’t know. Seeing Keith act out for Lance just got me thinking that.” Pidge sets her legs down to lean over the table and rest her head. “Thanks for defusing the situation, Hunk.”

“Yeah, dude, of course. Look, both you and Keith made a mistake. All that’s left for you two to do now is apologize to each other.” Hunk sighs with a shake of his head. “Also, I just wish Lance would stop sending Keith the letters and  _ tell him _ already.”

“Well, he did just ask him on that date, right? So hopefully this whole mess will be over soon.”

“Yeah, hopefully.”

Keith, as a matter of fact, did  _ not  _ find Lance in the library. Instead, he found him in the courtyard, lost in the shade of the trees. He wasn’t even studying. Well, maybe he was and he’s finished now or was taking a break considering the open books and notes that lie around him as he took in the spring breeze.

_ He’s so beautiful... _

“Keith?”

“Huh?” Keith blinks back into reality. He hadn’t even realized he was just staring at Lance…  _ Oh, God how long has he been staring at him?! _

Lance giggles. “What are you doing?”

“Uh, I was looking for you,” Keith admits, sheepishly.

Lance’s face turns red. “Oh,” He giggles again. “Why?”

Keith shrugs and takes a seat next to him. “Things got stressful at the table, so Hunk suggested I take a walk.”

“And that lead to looking for me?”

“Yeah, uh,” Keith takes out the crumbled note from his pocket. “I received this. They want to go on a date this Saturday.”

Lance doesn’t reply, he just stares blankly at the note. 

“Lance?”

“Huh?” Lance looks up, startled.

“Do you think I should go?”

“Oh.” Lance looks down at the handwritten words and then hands it back to Keith. “Yeah, go for it.” 

“Really?” Keith takes the note gingerly. 

“Yeah, I mean, why not?”

“I guess so…”

After a moment of stillness, Lance lays his back down on the grass — putting his hands behind his head to stretch his arms out a bit. “So, what got you so stressed at the table?”

Keith’s breath hitches. Does he want to tell Lance what actually happened?  _ Not really. He doesn’t want Lance to be hurt.  _ “Just this stupid letter.”

“Oh, I thought you said they were nice?” Lance smirks.

Keith scoffs through a smile. “You know what I mean, Lance.”

Lance closes his eyes, the smirk still playing at his lips.

Keith can’t help but think about how much he loves him.

When Saturday finally rolls around, Keith almost doesn’t go on this half-blind date, but then he remembers that this person deserves to know that he has feelings for another person. He already feels awful as it is from all these notes they’ve been leaving. Besides, Lance  _ wants  _ him to go… If Lance liked him back, wouldn’t he try to stop Keith from going?

At least, that’s what Keith  _ wanted  _ him to do. 

Keith clears his thoughts away and heads out to his date.

_ Reb’s  _ is a 24/7 diner right outside the shopping district of town. It’s even got the same 1950’s vibe it was built with. He and his friends would come to the diner often considering that Pidge’s brother, Matt, works there as a server. So obviously they only go when Matt is on shift to annoy the shit out of him. Despite that, it is also their go-to place when the whole squad needs to cheer up.

“Keith?”

Keith looks up from his phone and he’s met with brown. Brown hair, brown skin —  _ oh, it’s Olia. _

Olia works at Reb’s, but she isn’t dressed in her usual work attire. Her short curly hair is pulled into small space buns that sit loosely on the sides of her head. She sports a burnt orange summer dress paired with sandals of similar colour. She’s smiling at Keith, as if she was expecting him.

“Olia, right?”

“Yep, that’s me! I didn’t think you would show up to be honest.” She chuckles.

“To what?” 

“My date offer.”

Keith’s eyes widen. “You… You sent those to me?”

“Yeah! Sorry, do you not like flowers or that kind of flower?” She frowns nervously.

“No, uh, the flowers were great, but um…. Did you not see the note I left?”

Olia knits her brows in confusion. “What note?”

“The note around Valentine’s day?”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Keith is muddled. “You’re the one that’s been leaving notes in my locker every month right?”

“N-No, I just sent the one asking you on a date.” Olia starts to twiddle her thumbs.

“Oh, um, well I have another, um, admirer? I left a note on my locker for them to see to tell them that I was, um, well… gay. So they wouldn’t waste their time. I never got a response though and they kept sending me gifts and other notes so I assumed they were a guy,” Keith explains.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were gay! I apologize for putting you in this situation, Keith!” Olia says.

“No, no it’s okay. In fact, I apologize for putting  _ you _ in this situation. I mean, the real reason why I’m here was to tell my admirer the truth.” 

“That you're gay?”

“Well, there’s more to that…” Keith adverts his gaze from Olia.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Olia asks. Her eyes go wide at the realization of her words and quickly follows up with, “Not as in a date anymore, but as friends just hanging out?”

“I think I already hurt you enough, though.” Keith grimaces.

“It’s okay, really! It’s just a small crush. I wanted to go on a date to get to know you more as a friend first! I hardly know you, you know. Kind of hard to have a full-bloom crush on someone you’ve never talked to besides taking their order, don't cha think?” Olia smiles assuringly at Keith, and he sighs.

“Okay, let’s head inside.”

“Hehe,” Olia chuckles wickedly. “I’ll get us a discount!”

Olia and Keith enter the diner and of course with Keith’s luck, Matt is their server. Oddly, Matt doesn’t question why he’s with Olia while dressed up in casual-formal attire. He suspects that Pidge probably has something to do with it. 

Matt gives Keith a sly smirk, “Welcome to Reb’s! Is there anything I can get you to drink?”

“Water,” they say simultaneously.

Matt gives a curt nod as he writes it down on his little notepad. “Anything else?” No. “Okay, I’ll be right back with your waters.”

After Matt leaves, Olia looks at Keith. “So?”

“So?” Keith is nervous now.

“What was other truth?”

“Oh, well…” Keith trails off. There’s something on the other side of the diner that catches Keith’s eye. “Oh for fuck’s sake!” 

It’s his fucking friends.

“What?” Olia starts to follow Keith’s gaze before Keith tells her not to. 

“It’s my friends. They knew about tonight. I should have known they weren’t going to let me be.” He shakes his head in annoyance. “They’re sitting across the diner trying to be sneaky.” 

Olia laughs. 

“Two of them know what I’m about to tell you, so I’m not really worried about it too much. I don’t think Lance can read lips, nor does he have supersonic hearing, so —”

“Your waters,” Matt interrupts. 

“Ah, thanks.”

“Thanks, Matt!” Olia sips her water as soon as it’s set down.

“Are you two ready to order?”

“I am. Keith?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll have the chicken spears, please.”

“Extra crispy?” 

“Extra crispy.” Olia repeats.

“And Keith, the usual?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright, your dinner should be out shortly!” Keith watches as Matt makes a beeline right towards Pidge, Hunk, and Lance. 

“Oh my God,” Keith groans. “Matt is their spy!”

Olia snorts before getting more serious about the situation, “Are you afraid he’s going to tell them?”

“I wouldn’t doubt he already knows. Pidge likes to blabber sometimes, so he and Hunk probably know.”

“What about Lance?”

“I  _ hope  _ he doesn’t know.”

“Is it about him?”

“Unfortunately,” Keith drinks his water. 

“Keith, if you aren’t comfortable talking about…” Olia says worriedly.

“I was suppose to tell you anyway. It’s just kind of hard to say it? I’m not that affectionate, so I don’t really, you know… talk about stuff like this a lot. It surprised me when I told Pidge without hesitation, but then again I did that when I just realized it.” Keith lets himself peep at Lance, but when he finds him not looking, he lets himself gaze.

“What did you realize?” Olia questions, steadily.

Keith grins softly at Lance. “That I’m, um,” stumbling to a halt, he glances at Olia then back to  _ him _ . “I’m in love with Lance.”

* * *

 

_ Keith, _

_ lo que siento: eres mi sueño. _

_ I’m so in love with you. _

“Oh, Spanish, huh?” Pidge gives Lance a funny look and he snickers.

“Why are you snickering?! What does it say, Lance?!” Keith demands, bug-eyed.

“So, how’d your date go?” Lance asks, wiggling his eyebrows. 

“Ha, ha; very funny. I know you guys were there. It wasn’t even a date after I told her the truth. We just talked and hung out and ate. Now, can you  _ please  _ translate this for me.” Keith gently touches Lance’s shoulder with his fingertips. They linger for only a second before Keith moves his hands onto his lap.  _ What the fuck was I doing, oh my God. _

“Uh,” Lance gulps from his touch. Team Punk titters, then cover their mouths and Lance sends them a scowl. 

“Please?” Keith asks in the softest voice ever and how the hell is Lance suppose to say no to that?

Lance locks eyes with Keith, and without missing a beat he answers, “What I feel: you are my dream.” 

**_spaceshooter > spacemurai_ **

**spaceshooter:** so are we just going to the beach for like a day or are we doing anything else during break…?

**spacemurai:** Whatever you want to do Lance

**spaceshooter:** CAN WE SPEND THE NIGHT AT THE BEACH

**spacemurai:** And how are we going to do that lance

**spaceshooter:** uhmmm my truck??? Duh???? We can pile a bunch of blankets & pillows in the back & yanno sleep under the stars 

**spacemurai:** I guess why the hell not

**spaceshooter:** AW YISSS

The weeks before Spring break went by too slowly for Keith’s taste. He wasn’t sure if it was curse or a blessing because when the day came for him and Lance to spend the night at the beach, he was a wreck. What was he supposed to wear? Of course, swimming trunks, but like does he change into pajamas or does he sleep in regular clothes?

Does he dare ask…

Might as well. 

“Shiro!” Keith’s shout echoes through the house. 

“What?!” Shiro replies, obviously not making an effort to come see what Keith needs.

“Can you come here?!” 

“No!” 

“Please!”

“No, I’m comfortable!”

Keith groans. He leaves his room and heads downstairs to the living room where Keith finds Shiro and Adam snuggling under a blanket, watching some stupid movie. Wait, no, it’s Godzilla. Not that bad, but whatever. That’s besides the point.

“What do I wear when sleeping at a beach?” 

“You really wanted me to come  _ all  _ the way upstairs to ask me something you could of just texted me?” Shiro chuckles.

_ He’s right. Keith, you’re an idiot. _

“Do I wear pajamas or regular clothes?” Keith rephrases.

“You could just be butt-naked,” Adam winks and Shiro giggles, hiding his mouth with the palm of his hand at the joke.

“I hate both of you; You’re both useless,” Keith spits.

The couple share a final chortle before answering earnestly, “Why don’t you pack both and just change after Lance?”

“Good point,” Keith waves them goodbye. “Thanks.”

“Have fun! Use protection!” Shiro calls after him.

“That’s so old; get a new joke!” Keith roars, a smile hidden in the corner of his mouth. All he receives back are howls of laughter.

**_spaceshooter > spacemurai_ **

**spaceshooter:** yo what up

**spaceshooter:** I’m here

**spaceshooter:** beep beep

**spaceshooter:** oh my god ur so slow

**spaceshooter:** I’m going to die & decompose before you even open ur front door

**spaceshooter:** I see you in ur house

**spaceshooter:** WHY ARE YOU SITTING DOWN EATING 

**_spaceshooter sent an image._ **

**spaceshooter:** proof ur just an asshole. Wat are u even eating

**spaceshooter:** K E I T H 

**spaceshooter:** omg have u even checked ur phone

**spaceshooter:** honking horn

**spaceshooter:** …

**spaceshooter:** you're so deaf it's cute

**spaceshooter > kimba**

**spaceshooter:** CAN YOU TELL UR BROTHER TO HURRY UP I'VE BEEN SITTING OUT HERE FOR ETERNITY TEXTING HIM & HE’S JUST SITTING INSIDE EATING???

**spaceshooter sent an image.**

**spaceshooter sent an image.**

**kimba:** Sorry, Shiro can’t come the phone right now.

**spaceshooter:** WHY

**kimba:** Oh,

**kimba:** Cos he’s dead.

**spaceshooter:** OKAY FIRST ALL 

**spaceshooter:** HOW DARE YOU IM THE T-SWIFTER 

**spaceshooter:** TWO, I LOVE T-SWIFT BUT THAT'S OLD

**spaceshooter:** THREE, I HATE YOU

**kimba:** Funny, Keith said that earlier.

**kimba:** You’re influencing him too much.

**kimba:** Anyway, I’ll tell him you’re here.

**spaceshooter:** thank youuuuuu

**kimba:** Have fun on your date. Use protection.

**spaceshooter:** THAT’S SO OLD

**kimba:** ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

“I’m sorry!” Keith apologizes, rushing into the passenger seat of Lance’s (extremely old) Ford courier. Lance beams at Keith’s presence. 

“No worries, dude! I got some sweet blackmail pics of you stuffing your face with  _ whatever _ you were eating.” Lance’s eyes twinkle mischievously. “So are you ready to have the best night ever?!”

“Uh,” Keith teases Lance. “I don’t know, I guess?” Keith sends a sly smile over to Lance, brightening when he sees Lance’s own smile. Keith loves making him laugh and smile like this; he would do anything for this boy he loves ever-so dearly. He’s never been the affectionate type. Hell, he’s never gotten Lance a present before because it just wasn’t what he did. His present was his presence, and sometimes he’d give like an ugly, homemade birthday card that’s signed by him and the rest of their friends. Always only just nothing but a “Happy birthday, Lance.” 

Who could ever fall in love him; how could Lance ever fall in love with him when he’s doesn’t have something to give. Keith wants to try for him because Lance is “a hopeless romantic”. Confirmed by everyone and Lance himself. Lance is the type of person that deserves someone like… someone like Hunk, but Hunk is also one of the greatest people in world and everyone wants someone like Hunk.

Where was he even going with this? 

“Keith, you okay? I’ve been talking to you for like the past five minutes, but I don’t think you were listening.” Lance lets out an airy laugh, and Keith blushes from the fact of getting caught. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, what were you saying?” Keith gives him a wavy smile, making Lance eye him jokingly and then resumes keeping his eyes on the road.

“I was  _ saying  _ that I can’t wait to stargaze with you again.” Lance pauses to chuckle. “Except lets just hope this time I don’t break down and have an anxiety attack.”

“And even if you do, I’ll be there for you.”

“Keith, stop making me cry.” Lance laughs, taking one hand of the wheel to wipe his nose with his sleeve.

Keith knits his eyebrows in concern. “Lance are you actually crying?” 

“Shut up,” Lance demands playfully.

Keith smiles softly. “Why are you crying?” 

“Because of you, dumbass! God, I—” Lance catches his words and stops, chuckling from it. 

“What did I do?!” 

“Nothing man; just you caring about me,”

“Of course I care about you; you’re one of my best friends. I trust you with my life, Lance.” 

“ _ Keith, _ ” Lance warns humorously. 

Keith loves him. Keith  _ loves  _ Lance. Why couldn’t loving Lance be so simple? Why did he have to get mysterious notes from a random person every so often claiming that they love them? Then he had to deal with Olia, too, so  _ two  _ secret admirers, but at least Olia wasn’t in love with him because she barely knew him.

So, if Pidge is right… that means the author of the notes is someone Keith knows well and vice versa. Yet, Keith isn’t really close with anyone besides Pidge, Hunk, and Lance. Everyone else is just a mutual. None of this makes any sense, but the problem could have been solved already if he just told the author to stop, but…

“Keith, you’re obviously not fine if you keep spacing out like that,” Lance’s voice cuts through.

He breathes out heavily, “Sorry, I was okay, but then I just started thinking about… the note-sender.” Keith admits, facing out the car window on his side. Trees passing by in green blurs, but not fast enough to where he can’t make out the details.  _ Why is here always trees before an ocean? _ At least that’s usually how it goes for Keith, but then again Keith hasn’t been to many beaches before.

Keith has preoccupied himself with the trees so much that he hasn’t even noticed Lance hesitating to press further, but he does. “What about them?”

“I know I said they were nice at first, and they still are, but I feel guilty. It could all be over if I just left another note telling them stop doing what they’re doing, but I also feel like it’s too late. I could of — I should of told them to stop after…” 

“After what?”   
_ After I realized I was in love with you.  _ “I don’t know, like, after the first couple? It would of saved them a lot of pain, but now they’ve given me homemade things. They changed their words from  ‘think’ to ‘I am’ and they’re planning something for me and I just, I feel bad because I… I don’t feel the same way.”

Lance shrinks, holding his breath as he tries to keep his eyes focused on the road ahead of him, trying to  _ accept  _ what Keith has just unraveled. Lance went into this  _ hoping  _ Keith’s would fall for him, but he wasn’t expecting him, too. Maybe Keith is right, maybe he does watch too many movies, but  _ shit _ . Lance tightens his grip on the steering wheel. 

“That’s understandable; this isn’t a movie or show or—” Lance swallows the immense amount of saliva that had suddenly accumulated in his mouth. “Like a story. It’s okay if you don’t feel the same way. I mean right now you don’t even know who this person is.”

“Yeah. I also, kind of—”  _ really kind of   _ “ — like someone right now, too.”

Lance tells himself  _ don’t ask _ , but he disobeys. “That’s new… Who is it?”

“I’m not ready to say.” Keith looks at Lance, but all he finds is a stoic boy, eyes stern on the pavement ahead of them. 

Then Lance nods, and with a heave he settles on, “Okay.”

The rest of the drive is silent, excluding the soft melodies of whatever is playing on the radio. Keith doesn’t like this kind of silence between him and Lance. It’s like when they were still in their “rivalry”, but if Lance doesn’t want to talk, then he doesn’t want to push him.

Arriving at the beach, Keith isn’t surprised at the lack of people, but of the fact that it’s completely empty! “It's actually empty,” Keith comments.

“That's because we're in my secret beach location!” Lance joyfully says, already barefoot in the warm sand. 

“So, what’s the agenda?” Keith asks, letting his own feet dig into the sand.

“Well, we’re going to eat lunch at around noon; I packed us a picnic! Then, we’re going to order pizza for dinner—”

“Don’t you need an address for delivery?”

“Domino’s has a hotspot here! Easy peasy. We’re obviously going to swimming, look for seashells, build a sandcastle, bury each other, yanno all that good beach stuff!” Lance turns to Keith. “So, what do you want to do first?”

“I don’t know.” Keith moves his bangs out of his face. “To be honest, I’ve never really been to the beach before? Like, the last time I was at a beach was when I was ten or something and I don’t really know? Oof,” Keith grunts.

“Did you really just audibly ‘oof’?” Lance laughs.

“Uh, yeah?” Keith scoffs. “What’s wrong with it?”

Lance shakes his head. “Nothing, it was just cute.” 

Keith blushes and then his cheeks get even redder as he sees Lance just oh-so casually taking off his shirt, revealing his naked torso. Lance isn’t  _ ripped  _ with abs (or barely has any muscle), but none of that matters: just the fact that Lance is extremely attractive already does it for Keith. Jesus Christ, how many times is Keith going to blush today? 

“What are you doing?” is what he managed to get out.

“Putting on sunscreen?” Lance replies, sunscreen bottle in hand. “Though I don't burn really, but still it protects my beautiful skin from wrinkling.  _ You _ on the other hand,” Lance gestures towards Keith. “You're already red so you should put this on ASAP!” 

Lance walks around the truck, sunscreen bottle raised, ready to spray Keith with it, “Ah, yeah, I burn easily, but—”

Lance shushes him, “Ah, ah, ah no buts! You're putting this on right now! Now, take off your shirt.” 

“What?!” Keith yelps.

“You're not swimming with your shirt on, right?” Lance frowns.

“Or course not!” Keith guffaws.

“Then,” Lance gestures to Keith's shirt. “take it off!” 

So, Keith takes off his shirt and lets him spray the sunscreen on him and then Keith returns the favour. “So, now we wait for half an hour for it to set! Want to go look for seashells?” 

And they do, they find a bunch of shells, gifting it to each other, both of them red as red can be. “I'm going to make you a seashell necklace,” Lance promises.

“I bet you’d look better than I do wearing shells, though. Shells are your nature, not mine,” Keith voices.

“Friendship shell necklaces,” 

“Don’t tell Hunk.” They laugh at their inside joke. 

“Come on, Keith!” Lance holds his hands out to Keith, beckoning him to get in the ocean.

“Cold”

“Too bad; This was your idea to come here!”

They spend until 12 in the ocean, then Lance lays out their picnic after they dry off a bit. Lance prepared them some watermelon, sandwiches, and ham and cheese crackers. Keith wants to call this a date with him; it feels like they are on a date — just enjoying each other's company and falling in love.

They have a sandcastle competition, which ends in playful destruction of each other’s creations. They bury each others feet, and build tiny sandcastles above just to destroy them seconds later by lifting their feet.

They have stupid conversations.

“I know why the ocean's blue, but why is the sky blue?”

“Oxygen or some shit.” 

“We should ask Pidge about it later.”   


“I hate tie-dye! Unless it's space themed because the galaxy is essentially tie-dye just darker colours and stars.”

“I never thought of it like that.”

Night comes fast, and after they eat their pizza and pack all their stuff, they make their bed in the back of the pick-up truck. They brought a bunch of blankets and pillows not only for comfort, but for warmth as well. 

They lie there whispering sweet nothings to each other, talking about cryptids and the probability of which ones are real. 

They hadn't realized how close they were.

Keith looks at Lance like he's the one that set every star in the night sky; like he is the most perfect and flawless as a diamond.

Keith's face looks so soft and pure that Lance has to close his eyes to take a moment to breathe. Mere mortals like himself are not meant to witness angels.

And in that moment, the two stop thinking about everything. Keith forgetting about the love letters; Lance forgetting about Keith's mystery crush. They stop their whispers, and hold each other’s hand light and affectionately. And with the sound of the waves created by soft wind...

* * *

_ Keith, _

_ You’re so beautiful. _

 

Keith lets out a deep sigh. “This is the third time they’ve called me  _ that _ .”

“Third time's the charm.” Lance gives him a cheesy smile. 

“Wait, they didn’t say the whole love you thing,” Hunk informs, making him and Pidge glance over at Lance — wondering if it really was Lance that wrote this note, or someone else again.

“Maybe the thing they’re planning is happening soon?” Lance offers, giving a secret nod to Hunk and Pidge to assure them that this note is in fact Lance’s.

“Shit, I totally forgot about that!” Keith laughs nervously.

“I’m sure things will be fine,” Hunk pats Keith on the back, but Keith is still uneasy. He risks a glance towards Lance, who isn’t looking at him. Keith isn’t even sure when the last time he  _ did  _ look at him on his own accord. 

They haven’t really talked much since that night at the beach.

And it really,  _ really  _ fucking hurts; it pisses him off that Lance has been avoiding it and him altogether. He notices the uneasiness Lance is when they’re next to each other. He notices the lack of expression in his voice when Lance talks to him.  _ Like what the fuck dude? You’re just going to kiss me and then act like I don’t exist? Dick. _

 

**_spacemurai > pb-hacking_ **

**spacemurai:** Hey 

**pb-hacking:** Yello’ 

**spacemurai:** Has Lance said anything about… you know…

**pb-hacking:** What like how you two kissed and then decided to avoid you

**spacemurai:** I’ll take that as a yes

**pb-hacking:** Yep and Hunk knows, too. Lance told us like

**pb-hacking:**  The next day it happened. 

**spacemurai:** Did he tell you guys why he’s avoiding me?

**pb-hacking:** Keith why don’t you just ask him yourself!? I’m not ur owl dude. 

**spacemurai:** I already tried! 

**pb-hacking:** UGHHHHHH

**pb-hacking:** This is so stupid 

 

**_pb-hacking > spaceshooter_ **

**pb-hacking:** You know the longer you avoid Keith, the high chance of him saying no to whatever you’re planning is extremely high. 

**spaceshooter:** I know I know I just

**spaceshooter:** I mean, he already likes somebody and I kissed him without his permission AND with that knowledge,,

**pb-hacking:** OH MY GODDDDDDD

**_pb-hacking added hunkaroo to the conversation._ **

**pb-hacking:** Please tell him what he needs to hear!!!

**hunkaroo:** Lance, buddy, you are my bestest friend in the whole freaking world. I’ve known you since Kindergarten (which is practically like diapers). You’re one of the most caring people I know (all of our mom’s take first, sorry not sorry) and I know that you never intended to hurt Keith (besides all those times you tried to break him down by competing in something or insulting his hair) BUT I think you’ve played with his feelings enough already by acting like three different people. I think it is SUPER CUTE that you went through this whole big thing planned for the last 9 months or so, but you blew it all when you kissed him during Spring Break. You threw all of that planning into the fire and then spread it’s ashes in the wind. 

**hunkaroo:** Lance, it’s gone on long enough. Just ask him out already. 

**pb-hacking:** I’ve known Keith since I was born. He’s MY bestest friend and honestly I think he cares about little more than he cares about me lol. Heads up, this is about to get real weird and cheesy and cliche: I don’t believe in soulmates, but I really believe you two are meant to be together. 

**spaceshooter:** right okay thank you. I love you guys lots

**hunkaroo:** We love you too buddy

**pb-hacking:** <3

 

 ** _spaceshooter >_** **_spacemurai_**

**spaceshooter:** hey can you meet me at the beach in 30 like at the spot I took us if you remember where that is 

**spacemurai:** Um, sure I guess.

**spaceshooter:** cool cool alright see ya there.

 

“These are for you, obviously,” he hands the bouquet of flowers to Keith who takes them carefully. “I’m sorry that they aren’t great. The flower shop is closed since well, it’s like seven thirty at night, so I kind of just scooped these up from my Mam à’s garden and she’s probably going to  give me the ch àncla because of it, but, um, that’s not the point,

“The point is, I wanted to tell you that I am sorry for acting, as Hunk puts, ‘three different people’ to you. The first person being, well, the real Lance that you’ve known for five or six years. The second being the one acting like you don’t exist at all after I kissed you without you permission and all that jazz. And the third for being a secret admirer confessing my love for you at least once a month.”

“Wait, what?  _ You? You  _ were the one that sent me all of those? The hippo, the chocolates, the flowers.. All of that was you?” Keith asks in disbelief.

“Yeah, it was. And I had this whole thing I was planning. I was saving up my allowance and I did some side-jobs here and there to do something absolutely amazing for you kind of like, um, I can’t remember where it’s from but this guy had like spent so much money on a date where this horse was in a boat on a lake or something? It was stupid, but cute, and I just wanted to make you feel special and before taking you on that date, I was hoping to take you to prom? I know that’s probably not you’re thing, but I thought I would ask you to go as I ask you out on a date and to maybe-possibly be my boyfriend?”

“Lance— ”

“Hold on,” Lance shushes Keith. “I’m not done yet; I barely even started!” Lance takes a deep breath before saying, “Keith, you are extraordinary.”

“That’s a big word for you,” Keith jokes.

“Hush!” Lance smiles. “You’re snarky, cocky, sassy, you’re so fucking cool, and beautiful, and so loveable, and I just want to get emo with you and go ‘asterisk rawr asterisk’ and snuggle with with you and every time I look into your eyes, I can’t find myself out of them because when I do look into them I see you and your soul and all of your feelings and the colour is so exterrestrial; I swear to God you’re part alien!

“You make me feel like I’m not alone and I mean I feel like that when I’m with Hunk and Pidge and my family, but with you it’s like completely different! I feel like without you I would be completely lost in life right now and I honestly cannot imagine where I’d be right now if you weren’t here. Especially after I showed up at your house that late night during the Summer last year. I felt like I had nowhere else to go and you didn’t have to do what you did, but you did and I…

“I fell in love with you, Keith. I fell in love with your resting-bitch face that looked so tranquil when you were next to me watching the stars. I fell in love with your laugh even though it’s just you horrendously snorting like a pig most of the time and how you’re so gentle caring with me and with everyone when they really need somebody. I’m not really interesting swords or knives, but the way you handle them is so hot that I have to rethink all of my life choices and apologize to my Mamà and God for my thoughts.

“How you refused to come into the ocean that Spring night and I had to coax you into it and our little splash war and how your hair looks when it’s wet and don’t even get me started on when it’s up! I never knew how much I could be attracted to a neck until I saw yours! You are the mountains that make my river and everytime I see a tree or a mountain I think of you because you’re stubborn and you spell like pine even though there’s like no pine trees around here, they’re all redwoods, but you smell like pine! And fire and leather and sometimes you get really sweaty but it’s hot and I am rambling, so I for months all I wanted to tell you in person was that…

“I love you, Keith.”

“Idiot,” Keith weeps, trembling as he grips the stems of the bouquet harder. “How am I supposed to stay angry at you after all that!” 

“I’m sorry,” Lance takes a step closer to him.  “I should have just told you after I knew for sure how I felt, but all of it was so new to me because you’re a guy and I tried to be cheesy and romantic especially for your sake and our friendship’s sake. I didn’t want to risk the chance of losing you from my life, but by doing what I did, I made the risk bigger!

“I never planned to kiss you that night, but holy shit it was better than I ever imagined. And I’m sorry for kissing you when you told me that you already had feelings for someone; and I’m sorry for confessing to you — word-vomiting on you with that knowledge.”

“It’s you, dummy! I like you! Actually, I’m  _ in  _ love with you even though I should be so fucking pissed off and I kind of am but I fucking love you,”

Lance laughs out of relief, “You love me, too?”

“Yes! Ever since milk came out of your nose,” Their faces are plastered with cheshire grins.

“Wow! I tell you this sweet story of the moment I fell in love with you, but  _ that _ was the moment you fell in love with me? I can’t believe you,” Lance lets out a boisterous laugh.

Keith shakes his head, and then proceeds to slap Lance as hard as he could with the bouquet. 

“Ow, that kind of-sort of hurt!”

“Yeah? Well that was for hurting and messing with my feelings!” Then Keith lets the bouquet fall to the ground, and uses both of his hands to pull Lance’s face forward onto his own with a kiss. “And that’s because yes, I’ll go to prom with you and be your boyfriend. And you better make it up to me by procrastinating our relationship for ages too long.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you @hishali for making such beautiful art and sticking around! 
> 
> Thank you to my friends in the Bonding Moments discord sever for taking the time to beta-read and extra special thanks to @CLDJendis66! 
> 
> You can follow us on tumblr/ig @rainingooblah and @hishali!
> 
> Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment and kudos if you enjoyed!


End file.
